1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to novel ionic polymer fibers and an improved process for forming fibers for fabrics from neutralized sulfonated polymers, wherein the neutralized sulfonated thermoplastic polymer is dissolved in a mixed solvent consisting of a backbone solvent and a polar cosolvent and spun into fibers. The neutralized sulfonated thermoplastic polymer has about 10 to about 100 meq. SO.sub.3 H per 100 grams of sulfonated thermoplastic polymer, of which at least 95% is neutralized with a cation being selected from the group consisting essentially of antimony, iron, lead, aluminum, or Groups I-A, II-A, I-B or II-B of the Periodic Table of Elements and mixtures thereof. The solution of the neutralized sulfonated thermoplastic polymer having a Brookfield viscosity at room temperature at 6 rpm of about 1,000 to about 200,000 cps is fabricated into fibers by wet or dry spinning through a spinner having a plurality of orifices therein. The resultant ionic polymer fibers exhibit improved dimensional stability and resistance to solvents and temperature when fabricated into a fabric.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A major growing industry over the past decade has been the employment of synthetic thermoplastic fibers in the manufacture of fabrics. Thermoplastic fibers are used primarily in clothing, carpet and similar applications. Recently, a new class of sulfonated thermoplastic polymers has been described in a number of U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,867,319; 3,870,841; 3,925,280; 3,939,242 and 3,947,387 herein incorporated by reference. These types of sulfonated thermoplastic polymers constitute the general class of the compositions of the present instant invention. The aforementioned patents fail to clearly recognize or even imply the use of these types of polymers in a solution form for the manufacture of improved fibers, but rather teach compositions of matter useful primarily in hot melt extrusion or molding type processes.